Food choices always plentiful

If you’re hungry for a weekend of munchies, Baldwin City should be your destination this weekend.

Your choices could include turkey legs, polish sausages, pork burgers, pizza, barbecue sandwiches, buffalo burgers or funnel cakes. Of course, there will also be the usual assortment of hamburgers, hot dogs and carnival goodies. There’s even something new this year with crepes being served.

All of those and others are a part of the Maple Leaf Festival. The 51st annual festival will be taking over Baldwin Saturday and Sunday. Although the arts and crafts will be the main visitor draw, the food booths will be busy during the entire weekend.

“It’s all part of the ambiance,” said Diane Wagner, food booths committee chair. “Those who traditionally come down will get a funnel cake or a turkey leg as they always do. Some of the other places, like the Catholic church or the pork tent have been here forever. There’s quite a variety of food to choose from each year.”

The numerous food booths will be located throughout downtown, but primarily on High or Eighth streets. Each one will be run by a non-profit organization from Baldwin City or the area.

Only non-profit groups are allowed to open food stands during the festival. That’s been a rule of the committee’s for many years.

“We don’t allow anyone, besides downtown businesses, other than non-profit groups to have food stands,” Wagner said. “That was decided way before I joined the committee.”